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Wilhelm
Wilhelm is merely one of his many names. He is also known as Mr. Wilhelm. As a major figure of Ormus, he is known as Cardinal Heinlein and Lord Heinlein. After the current pope is killed in Episode II, Wilhelm becomes the new pope by Episode III. Lord/Cardinal Heinlein is also a Hyams Group representative. Wilhelm is, along with his loyal servants known as the Testaments, the main antagonist of the Xenosaga series and the mysterious founder and CEO of the largest interplanetary conglomerate, Vector Industries. He also served as the Executive Committee Director of the Galaxy Federation, up to a decade ago. Wilhelm is in control of all the major organizations (both secret and public), governments and religions in the galaxy and has infiltrated many of humanity's positions of power, and he is the most powerful figure in the universe and has existed since it began. As Heinlein, he is also the leader of a religious cult known as Ormus, which existed in the era of Lost Jerusalem, and uses religion as a form of mind control for humanity to do his will. Wilhelm invented and orchestrated the modern "Christianity" that humanity believes in. Abilities Wilhelm does not biologically age, likely because he isn't originally human, and probably mere takes a humanoid form. It is also unknown if he is able to shapeshift. Wilhelm is capable of telekinesis, shown when he lifted Shion Uzuki and made her suffer. He also seems to possess the power to turn people into Testaments after their death in the Real Number Domain. Wilhelm seems omnipotent. Wilhelm may have the power to read people's thoughts and mind, evident when he expected Kevin's act of betrayal, although this may simply be because Wilhelm is adept at reading people. Wilhelm also seems to possess the ability to speak multiple languages (multilingual), given that he's existed for thousands of years and is capable of talking to humans in any era. Wilhelm appears to be capable of teleporting both himself and objects. When he finally revealed to Margulis, he appeared in a portal of light. It is also heavily implied he teleported Abel and the Zohar to Michtam. Wilhelm was also able to hide Earth by defying the laws of physics. The extent of Wilhelm's abilities are unknown. Identity He is a mysterious partially-omniscient figure, who always seems to know everything as to what is going on, and one of the most suspicious, powerful and influential characters in the Xenosaga series. His red eyes are clearly inhuman. In actuality, he is the Guardian of the Lower Domain of the Universe. Wilhelm spends centuries preparing Eternal Recurrence, collecting the factors required to achieve it through a web of manipulation. Because of Eternal Recurrence, it is unknown how old Wilhelm is. In Xenosaga, he is at least 6000. However, because of combined Eternal Recurrences, he could be 20,000 or 50,000 or over 1,000,000 years old. Wilhelm uses the name Heinlein to exploit Ormus. Heinlein is likely a reference to the science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein. Wilhelm's historical identity during the time of Yeshua and Mary Magdalene is never revealed, but he was possibly a Roman Emperor, since they were the ones with power in that time. Considering the time suggested, Wilhelm was most likely the Emperor Tiberius. Based on this, it can be speculated that Wilhelm once worked actively for the Roman Empire. Tiberius became a dark, reclusive, and somber ruler, which would correspond with Wilhelm discovering what he has to do and taking action against Yeshua and Mary. It is also speculated that Wilhelm could have been Pontius Pilate, considering Pilate was associated with Jesus Christ. However, Pontius Pilate served under Emperor Tiberius, and Wilhelm doesn't seem to be the submissive type who takes orders. Instead, Wilhelm is put into roles of giving orders and leadership. Due to the series' Biblical and Gnostic overtones, Wilhelm may be interpreted as Lucifer/Satan, the Antichrist, or the Demiurge. It's also possible he is a mixture of these such as being both Satan and the Demiurge. Wilhelm's true identity, beyond the "Guardian of the Lower Domain", remains a mystery. If Wilhelm is indeed Lucifer or Satan, then his appearance as a handsome young man fits verse 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, which says Satan can hide himself as an angel of light, in order to deceive others. Personality Wilhelm is incredibly calm, seemingly never surprised by much that happens. He is also generally emotionless, never showing anger, sadness or even happiness, but rather, mild amusement. The only time he seems upset is when Shion's pendant is broken. It is also possible that Wilhelm is a sadist, as several events that took place that involved Shion, he seemed to enjoy the torture he put Shion and her friends through. At the end of Episode III, Wilhelm also spoke of the fact that he was not as generous as Kevin and thus, had no intentions of showing remorse. He also has a low opinion of "love", saying it has no value. Wilhelm is incredibly mysterious. He seems to find entertainment and pleasure in watching the world and its events as it unfolds and revolves around him, as though he has seen everything many times before and expects nothing to change. He analyzes humanity's level of consciousness and it is implied Wilhelm seeks a rebellion in human consciousness. Wilhelm also has an affinity for referring to life's situations and humanity as if they were all a part of some universal theatrical play for his entertainment. Wilhelm looks at each and every event, as if each is a single act upon a stage. To him, life seems to be a game or play on a chessboard - Wilhelm is also an avid fan of chess, adding fuel to the dramatic approach of his manipulations. He is extremely manipulative, considering the fact that he manipulated all of humanity to save the universe. Wilhelm is an adept manipulator of perceptions and a master of illusion. He is demonstrated to be prescient to some degree of competence, and an able leader. In Episode II, he implies in an aside to Kevin that he is risen above the considerations of normal men, which alone grants him the wisdom to determine what is absolutely true about reality. The consequences of this philosophy are manifest as an amoralistic attitude described by the creators as "beyond good and evil". His pursuit of Eternal Recurrence over the objections of Shion indicates a lack of respect for her viewpoint and a general ambivalence toward others' personal welfare. He also always listens to Richard Wagner's music. Enneagram According to the Xenosaga Original Design Materials, Wilhelm's behavior is classified as a enneagram type 5 personality (innovative/analytical/extremist/iconoclastic). The ODM conception of a type 5 is marked determination to counter a pending threat to humanity and the world. In the series Wilhelm is portrayed as reclusive and cold, with outstanding negotiational ability and business prowess. He is interested in the psychological lives of others and demonstrates a superb understanding of analytic psychological concepts. Completely altruistic, he absolves himself of any thoughts for his own welfare. The salvation of the universe is his sole concern, and he is ever at work manipulating events in his official capacity as the leader of Hyams, Vector Industries, and Ormus, to complement his self-affirmed role as Protector of Lower Dimensional Space. Observing, analyzing, understanding, and contemplating, Wilhelm portrays the ideal. Type 5s are primarily classified by a certain characteristic in behavior. This behavioral characteristic is expressed as one that is static, as in being "lost in deep thought", rather than an energetic action. Deeply and enthusiastically indulging in their own ideas, their entire psychological world is completely devoted to thought. Nonetheless, the subject of their thought is not directed inwardly at themselves, but rather, it is speculation upon the outer world The interest of type 5s is to understand the world. And by knowing the world, they try to obtain the ideal. What becomes the subject matter of their thoughts is something that is acquired through their own sensory perception. In Wilhelm's case, the Compass of Order comes to be connected to this. The only thing that type 5s feel that they know with certainty is their own thoughts. By placing what they want to understand onto a platform that they know with certainty, it becomes possible for the first time for them to dissect the unknown subject and uncover what is hidden inside. Wilhelm slowly but surely spends time repeatedly performing that process and reducing the unknowns of the world, for the sake of realizing the ideal that he himself seeks. For those who live this type-5 way of life, the time limit placed on human life, namely that the body decays and dies, becomes the greatest of shackles. Before eliminating the threats that fill the world, won't death end up claiming them? This is the worry for a type 5; it is the greatest threat. However, there is no sense of that worry from Wilhelm. It is thought that he has obtained a means to conquer death. But even if Wilhelm possesses power that surpasses death, what could be the ideal he seeks? Might there be necessary wisdom beyond that of overcoming death? Does a threat greater than that exist? Type 5s drift between both extremes for every phenomenon. Thought and action. Longing toward the world that surrounds themselves, and fear of it. Unity with others, and rejection of them. Love and hate. Joy and anger. Lifelong hope and pure futility. Attachment to life and abandonment of it. Not a single thing exists in the world that is sufficiently believable. A type 5's ultimate ideology is nihilism. It is impossible for there to be an existence that can bind a type 5's own self to this world as something meaningful. A complicated world with an incalculable immensity possesses power that threatens him, but it is ultimately meaningless. The more he knows of the world, the more there are things that he doesn't understand. And, the more he develops thought and knowledge when trying to overcome the threats, the more he is tormented by powerlessness. The probability that Wilhelm similarly feels such sense of emptiness is slim. This is because it is possible that he is beyond death. And that's precisely why is it necessary to keep it in mind. When a human type 5 is tortured by nihilistic feelings and becomes unhealthy toward the extreme end of the scale, he simplifies everything, forcing concepts on phenomena, and in order to protect himself, he rejects the world and all humans living there. He begins to think that this lonely darkness is life itself. And that life is nothing but a meaningless void. Wilhelm's behavior is far from that kind of unhealthiness. However, from Wilhelm's behavior, the ideal that he aims for cannot be found. If he detaches himself from all things and tries to view the world at nothing less than the vantage point of God, the possibility is high that an original, innovative principle that is derived from there will be something that can change the world. Wilhelm's intention Even Wilhelm, the one behind everything, loses all memory by Eternal Recurrence. Wilhelm, too, at the same time that Eternal Recurrence is achieved, forgets everything, and returns to an original state. He returns to a state where the meaning of his own existence, the reason, the purpose, the role: all of it is unknown. It is the same as with all humans who worry about and grasp for the meaning of their birth and the reason they live. By gazing at the human consciousness that streams through the Compass of Order, he comes to understand the world. By gazing at the human hearts that live in the world and by understanding the world that surrounds himself, he comes to discover what he himself can do. And then, realizing that the world is drawing near to the crisis of collapse, in order to avoid it, he considers what can be done. What could he do? What should he do? What would he do? Although many people seek a glorious and glamorous dream during their short lifetimes, wishing for a life that is full of glitz, and utilize their surroundings to gain economic strength, status, fame, authority, wealth, material gain and power, Wilhelm acted thinking only to save the entire world and universe from crisis. His actions of forming the root of every organization and spinning society and history from behind the scenes were completely altruistic. For thousands of years of history, many people's quiet everyday lives had to change into blood-smeared nightmares. Politics were spun; war was waged, economics was controlled, and civilization was utilized. There was even so much hateful and cursed words raised that it was incalculable. It is unknown how many and how much wars, death, suffering and violence Wilhelm has seen, but eventually, he would realize that the human condition is chaos, pain, suffering, death, slavery, etc. And Wilhelm, clearly conscious of the aim for Eternal Recurrence, recognizes that history such as this will once again repeat. In order to repeat a blood-smeared history, history will continue to be stained in blood. Because, if the world that wants to cover its eyes is not affirmed, the very world itself will completely vanish. Only someone who possesses an unwavering resolve is able to accomplish that; it was a superhuman choice. That blood-stained choice cannot be judged by such things as the laws that differ according to nation, nor by morals that change according to era, nor by the standard of values that sway within an individual heart; it was something beyond good and evil. Therefore, he couldn't speak his own thoughts. That's because wishing for understanding is a desire for oneself to be given acceptance. He resigned even desire such as that. It was only just to save the world from the threat of annihilation. While his methods differed from Shion's, Wilhelm undoubtedly sought to save the world just the same. Or perhaps what he truly wanted was a revolution in humanity's consciousness, brought about by the cyclical recurrence of time. Background Birth The destruction of the universe looked unavoidable, and was headed on the path to annihilation. If ever the Collective Unconscious collapses, then by reaction the Real Number Domain of the Lower Domain of the universe will collapse, and also the Upper Domain of the universe would be enveloped in the destruction. If ever Anima activates to prevent the Upper Domain from collapsing, the Lower Domain would still be destroyed. Thus, Wilhelm was created by the Collective Unconscious as the Guardian of the Lower Domain of the Universe. He is seemingly the oldest character in Xenosaga, even though it's not confirmed--his involvement in past events suggests that he was even older than chaos and Mary Magdalene. His task is to ensure the continued survival of the Lower Domain of the Universe. For this, he must ensure that either Anima won't activate or that the Collective Unconscious won't collapse. Unfortunately, preventing the activation of Anima will eventually lead to the collapse of the Collective Unconscious, and Wilhelm doesn't seem to have the power to stop the Collective Unconscious from collapsing. To help with his task, Wilhelm possesses an artifact called the Compass of Order and Chaos, most commonly called the Compass of Order, which can be used to watch the movements of consciousness and acts, in part, on them. As such, Wilhelm looks omniscient during the events of Xenosaga, always watching his compass and apparently being always aware of all events. Ancient Lost Jerusalem Era On Lost Jerusalem, Wilhelm was an emperor at the time that Yeshua and Mary Magdalene attempted to save the Universe using Zarathustra. When the Messiah came, Yeshua and Mary served as his disciples along with others known as Apostles. The Apostles had a direct effect on Anima, unknowingly leading to the activation of Anima. As such, their existence was extremely dangerous for the life of the universe. Wilhelm worked against them, attempting to obstruct their actions in order to prevent the universe's destruction. Wilhelm also understood what he had to do to save the universe: employ the Eternal Recurrence. This system brings the world to a "reset" point in the past when either Anima is on the verge of activating or the Collective Unconscious is on the verge of collapsing. When the system is invoked, every consciousness, including Wilhelm, forgets its past life. Thus, humanity lives in an eternal cycle. Wilhelm has succeeded many times in activating the recurrence in previous universes, but each recurrence differs because U-DO is unaffected by the recurrence and its consciousness continues to evolve. Since, with time, all Apostles, Mary and the Messiah died, and since chaos did not have his full power, Wilhelm met little opposition in orchestrating his plan. Wilhelm started to manipulate humanity by founding a religion, Ormus, and he most likely controlled the outcome of significant events. It is uncertain when Ormus was founded, but Sergius XIV claims Ormus existed before the crucifixion of the Messiah. It is unknown if this is true, or another lie created by Wilhelm. Officially, Ormus existed to convey Jesus's existence to coming generations. However, its true purpose was to manage the "words" he passed on: Lemegeton, and help him obtain and secure the Relics of God. It is likely Wilhelm was involved with the creation and development of the Bible, a written memoir of human history and of Jesus' life. However, after a certain point, it seems that Wilhelm was unable to interfere with the Bible's development, as altering the Bible when it was already shared and mainstream with humanity would be difficult, even for Wilhelm. This is supported by the exact meaning of John 12:24 being quoted during Episode I. Because of the Bible, humanity began to believe that Jesus had supernatural powers such as walking on water, turning water into wine, curing the sick, etc. It is possible that Wilhelm was involved with other religions such as Islam and Buddhism, and he may have manipulated other religions just as much as he manipulated Christianity. Records of Buddhism still exist in the time of Xenosaga. At an unknown point in time, Wilhelm stole Zarathustra and started gathering the elements for the Recurrence. He installed the Eternal Recurrence function in Zarathustra. Modern Lost Jerusalem Era At this time, Wilhelm is the founder of Vector Industries, which plays a big part in his schemes. Vector funded the research of T. Masuda at Lake Turkana in Kenya in order to retrieve the Zohar. The Zohar was found with Jesus' Lemegeton, and Vector sent both to Toronto, Ontario, Canada to be researched. Wilhelm also went to Rennes-le-Château to take the twelve Vessels of Anima, which he succeeded in. Wilhelm failed to take Mary's body for unknown reasons, likely due to some sort of anti-Wilhelm force created by Mary Magdalene's followers, or perhaps Earth/Lost Jerusalem was on the verge of being reduced down to Planck Scale during Wilhelm's investigation. He had to wait until the time between Xenosaga Episode II and Episode III to retrieve her body. During this era, Wilhelm initiated the creation of the U.M.N. which uses the Collective Unconscious as infrastructure, although at this time, it was still in early development. Wilhelm's involvement with Ormus was also stronger than ever. Wilhelm used Vector to start the Zohar Experiment, which led to the chain of events that forced humanity to leave their home planet. Because of this, Nephilim Verum, the daughter of Grimoire Verum, was affected by the Zohar Experiment, and Grimoire tried to find her for thousands of years within the U.M.N. It is unknown if Wilhelm actually intended Earth to disappear. Regardless, in order to prevent the spreading of this disappearance phenomenon to the entire universe, Wilhelm sealed away Earth. The sealed Earth was thought by everyone to have disappeared (although, in actuality, it is only reduced down to the Planck Scale). Wilhelm presumably went on the spaceship Pleroma with the Immigrant Fleet (Ormus) to escape Earth before its disappearance. The Immigrant Fleet also took records of Earth with them, such as culture, important art, books, the Bible, and even to the extent of a quote from Paul McCartney. Between Lost Jerusalem and Pied Piper Wilhelm continues manipulating humanity for thousands of years and proceeds with his plans, instigating conflict between the Federation and its rivals. He puts heavy emphasis on the development of Vector and the U.M.N. Regarding Realian development, Wilhelm invents and constructs a system called Program Canaan, a system thought up by Wilhelm as a way to detect people with a special "trait" (Shining Will) which would allow them to become a Testament. He influences the desires of Ormus members, telling them that if the could collect the Relics of God, they could return to the "holy land of Lost Jerusalem". It is also likely Wilhelm was involved with twisting the Messiah's message. At some point in time, he makes the Dämmerung spaceship his headquarters as well as the spaceship of Vector Industries, allowing him to travel throughout the galaxy and influence humanity where it is necessary. It is possible he was behind what happened to Dmitri Yuriev and some other events. It seems Yeshua opposed his plan, rejecting Wilhelm's solution, but he decided to stay neutral at the time. ''Xenosaga: Pied Piper'' Wilhelm appears in this episode and looks as if he is omnipotent. Kayla, a Realian installed with Program Canaan, is also seen at Wilhelm's side. Wilhelm says at a moment that Yeshua still does everything possible to oppose him, and will meet Voyager at the moment where this one realizes U-DO abandoned him. He convinces Voyager to join him thus making him the Black Testament, the first known created Testament by Wilhelm. He lured Voyager to his side in promising him infinite power and immortality, what Voyager truly wished, and in exchange Voyager works for Eternal Recurrence. Nevertheless, Voyager didn't really seem to care about Wilhelm's ultimate plan, but as long as Voyager obeyed him, it was fine with Wilhelm. Between Pied Piper and Xenosaga Episode I Wilhelm knew that the time of realizing the Eternal Recurrence was extremely near, 100 years being nothing considering his immortality. He approached Kevin Winnicot when he was a child and manipulated him into becoming what he would later be, his role being essential for resuscitating Mary and manipulating the maiden of Mary Magdalene's reincarnation (Shion). Wilhelm took advantage of Kevin's childish wishes. Sweet-talking as if those wishes could come true, he encouraged Kevin to work towards Eternal Recurrence. Kevin had extraordinary talent, and he also possessed the factor to become Testament. Having received Wilhelm's support, and believing that he could purge this accursed world and recreate a new one, Kevin and Wilhelm developed a relationship and worked for him. However, Eternal Recurrence is something that aims for a complete reiteration. The "new world" that Kevin was searching for, was merely something that would once again repeat for him a life that curses the world for the loss of his mother. Using the identity of Heinlein, he is also the CEO of Hyams Group, Vector Industries' main corporate competitor. Wilhelm funds both the U-TIC Organization and the Yuriev Institute, which fuels the competition between the two companies. Additionally, he has supplied the Immigrant Fleet, the physical power of Ormus. Considering his place as Cardinal in Ormus and his ally in Ormus, Wilhelm is the one truly leading Ormus even at this time. 14 years prior to Episode I, Wilhelm would observe the events of the Miltian Conflict and see how humans act at this point. Wilhelm would also start the development of KOS-MOS, using Kevin and Shion to create her, and thus resuscitating Mary at long term. He would later bring back Kevin as the Red Testament two years prior to Xenosaga, when he has been murdered by the KOS-MOS Archetype. Wilhelm was involved with the anti-Gnosis Zohar Project. ''Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht'' Wilhelm is seen as the CEO of Vector in his giant mother ship, the Dämmerung, observing the Compass in his office and sometimes speaking to the Testaments, which is also the condition he will appear in every time during the series except at very few moments. He is the one to order Kevin to activate KOS-MOS on the Woglinde and gives her orders through Kevin. He claims that everything is going according to what he sees in the Compass. During the course of the game, he brings back Luis Virgil as the Blue Testament and seems to give Virgil the E.S. Naphtali. Wilhelm has a video chat with Helmer. They discuss the U-TIC Organization's likely involvement in the recent incident, the original Zohar, and U-DO. As the CEO of Vector Industries, Wilhelm lends KOS-MOS to Second Miltia and the Kukai Foundation, and says Vector's Second R&D Division and the Tactical Sim Lab will also be available. Wilhelms asks Helmer that this message be passed to Gaignun Kukai. When Albedo Piazzolla activates the Song of Nephilim, he plays chess with Kevin and says "It begins". He will send Virgil to remind Albedo what he has to do, implying Albedo works with Wilhelm, but contrarily, Albedo doesn't seem impressed much by Testaments. Wilhelm would also save the Kukai Foundation from the Gnosis attack using the Rhine Maiden. Wilhelm would be seen observing the Compass when KOS-MOS sacrificed herself to save the Elsa, but doesn't show any kind of emotion except his usual quietness. It is assumed that he was convinced she'd survive, or had many possibility to preserve her. He is last seen speaking of Albedo and how shining his consciousness is. Wilhelm sometime even looks in admiration when speaking of Albedo. ''Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse'' Wilhelm still observes the events, watching as Shion takes Dinah and apparently sending Voyager after her, in the unique purpose of awakening KOS-MOS, who goes to save Shion. He later sends the three Testaments to kill the Patriarch (Pope) Sergius XVII and speed up Albedo's regeneration process. This chain of events results in, after Albedo's death, the appearance of Abel's Ark, which takes the Zohar, all of which Wilhelm expected. Nevertheless, something that he didn't expect happens: chaos making the Ark disappear. They then have a discussion, in which he calls chaos 'Yeshua' for the first time. chaos explains he won't hold back any more, and Wilhelm looks happy about this decision, even though this could technically be something compromising his plans. Another identity of Wilhelm's, Heinlein, is mentioned. Both Margulis and Sellers are under Heinlein’s wing, and all three are high ranking cardinals in Ormus. Wilhelm as Heinlein was in league with Margulis and Sellers to overthrow the old Patriarch during the resurgence of Old Miltia, which he did successfully. At the very end of the game, Wilhelm is seen in a dark room, on his A.M.W.S. Joshua, the three others Testament being also present on their own E.S. They seem to be speaking of the Y-Data when they are interrupted by another ES appearing with a White Testament on it, who is none other than Albedo, who Wilhelm calls the "Weaver of the eternal circle of Zarathustra". Between Episode II and Episode III During the missing year, even though it is not shown, Wilhelm orders the construction of T-elos based on Mary's body, using Roth Mantel (Kevin Winnicot) as a disguised Vector Industries researcher. This is because Wilhelm feared that, after Kevin's death, when Shion/Allen/Vector altered KOS-MOS, that this may have an effect on the awakened Mary Magdalene. As such, Wilhelm directed for T-elos to be built as a cleaner vessel. Wilhelm was able to obtain Mary Magdalene's body in Rennes-le-Château using the power of the Testaments. Under Heinlein's identity, Wilhelm became the new Patriarch of Ormus. ''Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra'' Wilhelm continues to manipulate Ormus, Vector and all others for his plan. He plans for T-elos to absorb KOS-MOS, but fails at this point. He sends his Testaments to make many things and events work while finishing the last preparation for the recurrence. Near the end, he reveals to Margulis that he is Heinlein, and claims that everything in Ormus's faith is nothing but lies. Wilhelm says Margulis' faith was too strong and "overly strong faith clouds the eyes." This leads to a crisis of faith and disillusionment in Margulis. When the group finally confronts Wilhelm on planet Michtam, he orders Shion to use the key to activate Zarathustra. When she refuses, he tortures her, but she continues to refuse. Kevin attempts to save her and cuts Wilhelm's arm off, which seems to not harm Wilhelm at all. In retaliation, Wilhelm also tortures Kevin. Wilhelm then orders to Mary (KOS-MOS) to take the key and activate Zarathustra herself. However the repeating pattern is finally ended when the true KOS-MOS refuses. Stating she is in fact "KOS-MOS", she destroys the key. Wilhelm did not predict that KOS-MOS, the android, would have her own consciousness or would lead Mary's consciousness to evolve. This leads to Zarathustra spinning out of control. As this occurs, Kevin is unable to watch Shion being tortured and thrusts his fist through Wilhelm, preventing him from taking further actions. This leaves the group to fight Zarathustra. If Zarathustra is allowed to continue to spiral out of control, the result would be destruction of a truly massive scale. Before the fight, Wilhelm begs KOS-MOS, calling her Mary, to start Zarathustra, a saddened look on his face during the fight many times. He is surprised when chaos speaks and says to him there can be another way. After the fight and Zarathustra's defeat, Wilhelm asks chaos if he really knows what he's doing. Wilhelm says that if he disappears, then the universe will — however, Yeshua cuts Wilhelm off and says he wants to believe in the light of humanity's will. As Wilhelm's body vanishes, his final words to chaos are, "That does sound like you... Yeshua." Even after the destruction of Zarathustra, Wilhelm continued to exist as he is the guardian of the lower domain. He used his power to lead both the Dämmerung and the Elsa into the Milky Way, chaos's plan being to use a "key" located on Lost Jerusalem in order to heal the rejecting will. This way, Wilhelm greatly helped Shion and the others in their task to find Lost Jerusalem. At the end, even without his physical form, Wilhelm apparently keeps an observer role. It is hinted that at one point or another, he will take back his physical form to help saving humanity one more time. It is hinted that, after all, Wilhelm perhaps did succeed in his plan. Another effect of the recurrence is to evolve humanity's consciousness, and as such, being evolved enough to deny one more Eternal Recurrence. Wilhelm maybe hopes, similarly to chaos, that they'll find their way to save their universe. Wilhelm was prevented from accomplishing Eternal Recurrence. But he nevertheless, for the sake of preserving the lower domain, believed in the possibility of the people who rejected him. Even though he shall be rejected by mankind, he exists for the sake of protecting their future. Relationships Yeshua/chaos Wilhelm and Yeshua have known each other since the ancient Lost Jerusalem era. They always seem to disagree with each other's way to act. chaos's power was a necessary part in Wilhelm's plan. Despite the negative events that occurred between them where Wilhelm was against him, neither of them seem to hate each other or even dislike each other. Jesus Although Wilhelm's and Jesus' relationship isn't explored in-depth, Wilhelm is more than well aware of how much Jesus means to Ormus, knowing that Ormus worships Jesus as their "lord". Wilhelm and Jesus had similar motives, and their goals for humanity and the universe greatly differed. When Jesus left behind Lemegeton for humanity, it became a priority for Wilhelm to prevent Lemegeton from reaching humanity. Since Yeshua/chaos understood Lemegeton, he and Wilhelm seem to have made a deal regarding Lemegeton. If Wilhelm is Satan, then Wilhelm would have been the one who tempted Jesus in the wilderness of the Judaean Desert. Regardless, Jesus became an obstacle in Wilhelm's mission to protect the Lower Domain and ordered his death. Mary Magdalene/KOS-MOS Wilhelm and Mary have known each other since the Ancient Lost Jerusalem Era. Mary seems unable to disobey Wilhelm, since she wants to save the universe and is the best placed one to achieve this purpose. It is unclear how Mary Magdalene died, but it is implied Wilhelm ordered her death as well. He attempts, and fails, to resuscitate her through KOS-MOS, which is an error since KOS-MOS disobeys him in favor of Shion, due to Mary Magdalene's love for her maiden. Shion Uzuki He controls most of what happens in Shion's life, and put her in charge of KOS-MOS's project since her past bond with Mary. At the end of the game, Shion says she finally understands what Wilhelm tried to accomplish, and doesn't seem to hold anything against him. Testament Testaments are Anima resonant consciousness that Wilhelm reverted to make them Imaginary Number Domain Existence. They all have a purpose but will obey to Wilhelm. They are necessary in order to for him start the Eternal Recurrence. Etymology While Wilhelm's name is inspired by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, there are other possible inspirations. One of the Brother's Grimm is named Wilhelm Carl Grimm. There are allusions to Grimm stories throughout Xenosaga, so it is possible that his name also derives from this. Wilhelm's name may also be inspired by Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last German emperor who lived during World War I, and may refer to him being the last "ruler" of a group or nation, perhaps humanity in general, or also a contraction of the German for Will and Helmet, meaning, "the will to protect". Quotes * "How do you feel about our world? What do you want to do with this world that drove you into the pit of despair?" * "That's a good answer. You should accomplish that dream. I'll be happy to aid you, Kevin Winnicot." * "People always try to live a life of choices between 'good' and 'evil.' They make pessimism their foundation, and praise misfortune and sorrow. And then they try to seek a pure heart. Yet this is nothing more than their individual view, born out of comparison with others. Is she who thinks of others 'right'? Is he who opened the door 'wrong'? Only those who stand in a place beyond that point can comprehend the true essence and gain knowledge of absolute truth." * "In any case, the intermission is over and the players stand upon the stage. All that remains is to wait for the knight to appear. And for that, it is necessary that someone play the role of the villain." * "Do you object? The greater the suffering, the more exciting the drama." * "Why do humans insist on searching?" * "What we can do is limited. For precisely that reason, we need a world that is fitting for us. And we are the only ones who can accomplish that. Dreams, future, possibilities. She was born to put an end to these fleeting illusions. Everything follows the destined flow." * "In the meantime, let's enjoy the entertainment." * "He's a truly fascinating human being. In order to conquer his fear, he chooses to absorb that fear and become that fear himself." (regarding Dmitri Yuriev) * "You've served me well all this time, but it seems your faith was too strong. Overly strong faith clouds the eyes. You are no longer able to see what you should. But perhaps that is still good, in its own way." (to Margulis) * "It wasn't meaningless as long as you, yourself, believe it wasn't meaningless. After all, that's why I've continued to exist." (to Margulis) * "That is one of the phrases that defines me. However, words give people many forms. Vector's CEO, head of Hyams, Ormus Patriarch, the Federation Executive Committee Director... All of those are nothing more than phrases that define me. They each define me, yet none of them are me. So far, the only one who can define me is you, Yeshua." * "The preciousness of limited life, the beauty of death. You're intoxicated by that narcissism. It's such an incredibly human choice." (to Shion) * "For love? Ridiculous. That has no value." (to Kevin) * "How does it feel to be betrayed by someone you once trusted, Shion? In order to save you, Mary intends to ignore your will and activate Zarathustra." * "Very good. You have done well. With this, we will be able to live forever." * "What are you doing? Mary! You fool. Now this universe will be completely destroyed. Even Yeshua will perish. Mary, is this what you really want?" * "The world can only be returned to the beginning. Come, Mary. Help us guide them into the past. There is no other way for us to save this world." * "Humans, mere humans are rejecting me? Impossible. It is unthinkable. They don't understand how precarious this universe is, this frail world standing on a thin thread. If that balance is tipped, everything will be lost." * "Very well, then. Is that your answer? That does sound like you, Yeshua..." (final words) Trivia * It is possible that Wilhelm exists in the Xenogears universe as the Guardian of the Lower Domain. * Wilhelm could be considered the Xenosaga equivalent from Myyah Hawwa of Xenogears as a powerful figure controlling and manipulating humanity from behind-the-scenes. However, Wilhelm and Myyah vary in some aspects: ** Wilhelm is in control of 500,000 planets, while Myyah is in control of one planet. ** Wilhelm is invulnerable to aging, while Myyah is not, hence her body jumping when her vessel dies. ** Wilhelm seems to be slightly less malicious than Myyah, allowing more room for free will. ** Wilhelm has his own sense of will, while Myyah is a being programmed by Deus act in her way. ** Wilhelm's motive is to reset the universe through Eternal Recurrence and collect the necessary factors required for Eternal Recurrence. Myyah's motive is collect genetic material to revive the man-made "god weapon" Deus. ** Wilhelm is prone to amnesia, while Myyah isn't. When Eternal Recurrence occurs, Wilhelm is confused and loses his memory. When Myyah body jumps, she keeps her memory. ** Wilhelm seems to have a sense of altruism when compared to Myyah, as he claims he wants to "save the world" and what he's doing is the "only way" to save it, and he probably doesn't view himself as "evil". Gallery Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 1wilhelm-sketch.jpg|Concept art. Kosmos99292200210.png|Art of Wilhelm, chaos, Shion and KOS-MOS. WilCap.png|Wilhelm. Wil1.gif|"And if the ship were to threaten the girl, KOS-MOS would protect her..." Wil2.gif|"All phenomena are moving forward as specified by this Compass of Order." Chess.png|Wilhelm playing chess with Red Testament. SoItBegins.gif|"So it begins." Compass.png|Wilhelm observing the Compass in the ending. WilhelmOffice.png|Wilhelm's office in the Dämmerung. Xenosaga: The Animation WIlhelmAnimeIntro.png|Wilhelm in the anime. WilhelmAnime2.png|Wilhelm in the anime. WilhelmSide.png|Wilhelm and the Compass of Order. Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse WilhelmEp2.png|Wilhelm. DinahJump.gif|Wilhelm watching E.S. Dinah gate jump. WilhelmSuffering.gif|Wilhelm on suffering. WilhelmStage.gif|Wilhelm pleased "Yeshua" will be entering the stage. Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra WilhelmPortrait.png|Portrait. WilKev.png|Wilhelm and Kevin. WilFinale1.png|Wilhelm and Zarathustra. WilFinale2.png|Wilhelm and Zarathustra. WilhelmT1.gif|Wilhelm lifts Shion. WilhelmT2.gif|Wilhelm's arm is dismembered by Kevin. WilhelmFace.png|Portrait. 007Wilhelm.png|Wilhelm. C3virhelmH01.png|Wilhelm (dismembered arm). Category:Characters Category:Pied Piper characters Category:Episode I characters Category:Episode II characters Category:Episode III characters Category:Male characters Category:Ormus members Category:Antagonists Category:Vector employees Category:Deceased